


Without Him (I Disappear)

by canufeelthemagictonight



Series: ETNuary [25]
Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Canon Compliant, Character Death, Character Study, DIY, ETNuary, F/M, Gen, Happy Lauren Day!, I have a lot of feelings, Lauren deserves better, Love, Vampires, character appreciation, from both the show and the fandom
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-26
Updated: 2020-01-26
Packaged: 2021-02-27 13:53:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 514
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22418038
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canufeelthemagictonight/pseuds/canufeelthemagictonight
Summary: Her name was Lauren Riihimaki.Lauren Riihimaki is so much more than a sad love story.An Escape the Night one-shot. Day 25 of ETNuary.
Relationships: Lauren Riihimaki/Alex Wassabi
Series: ETNuary [25]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1587721
Comments: 13
Kudos: 17





	Without Him (I Disappear)

**Author's Note:**

> Day 25 is Lauren Riihimaki, about whom I have a lot of feelings.

Her name was Lauren Riihimaki.

She was twenty-four years old.

She ran a DIY channel with millions of subscribers.

She had dyed blonde hair, dark brown eyes, and a shimmering smile that could light up a whole city.

She was creative. She was kind. She spoke her mind for the world to hear. She was loved by almost everyone who ever met her.

She came to the Victorian era, thinking she'd have a fun night at a ball. She wore a voluptuous yellow ball gown that dragged behind her as she walked, along with a golden necklace and white high heels. Her hair was styled into an elegant bun, but a few blonde strands dangled down the sides of her head.

She was the Engineer. The role fit her perfectly. She was so do-it-yourself that she even made a few improvements to her lovely dress. These improvements earned her the awe and respect of some of her friends.

When things went south, she was terrified. She didn't like the danger that lurked around every corner of the treacherous house. She couldn't stand the through of losing the people she loved to death, even if it was the only way to escape. She just wanted to go home. But she couldn't. She was trapped in a sick game unlike any she had ever played.

She was anxious. Her anxiety is what stopped her from stepping up. It's also what caused her friends to turn on her, her name to be chosen for a death challenge, and her life to hang in the balance of a ballroom.

She did try. She tried so hard. She braved snakes, coffins, and vampires. She just wasn't fast enough to win survival.

In the end, she died alone, scared, and in pain, a thousand years away from the world where she was once so happy.

She deserved better.

Why, now, is she only remembered for those she left behind?

Yes, she loved Alex. He was her boyfriend. She prayed for his safety from the storm. But sometimes, it feels as if the sum and total of her tragic life has been reduced to a Lost Lenore for Alex to be sad about. She's the girlfriend stuffed in the fridge to motivate the male hero. She's the Gwen Stacy who Spiderman lost. She's more of a component of his tragic backstory than a character in her own right.

Perhaps this is because she didn't last long enough to make a different impression. Or perhaps it's just how the story goes.

But whatever the reason, _it ends now._

Remember her ingenuity. Remember how smart she was to engineer a dress, as well as how perceptive she was to recognize her own limitations. Remember her kindness, her wittiness, and the love she bore in her heart even in death. Remember how much she accomplished in her short time on this planet.

Remember her name.

Lauren Riihimaki.

The Engineer. The DIY queen. The girl who truly didn't deserve what she got.

(And please, stop reducing her to the grief of the boy she loved.)

**Author's Note:**

> Next up: Bretman Rock!


End file.
